HOPPER RAILCAR WITH DOOR DEFLECTOR FOR TRANSVERSE PIVOTED OUTLET GATE, DOOR DEFLECTOR AND METHOD OF RETROFITTING HOPPER RAILCAR TO INCLUDE DOOR DEFLECTOR FOR TRANSVERSE PIVOTED OUTLET GATE

Abstract

A hopper railcar includes a plurality of hoppers for carrying material laden material, wherein each hopper has a lower discharge chute formed by converging side sheets and end sheets defining a transverse opening; and pivoted transverse door for each transverse opening for selectively opening and closing and closed by a pivoted door, the pivoted door having a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the railcar, and lateral deflectors on lateral sides of the doors with each of the deflectors having a side face extending above an interior facing surface of the doors upon which laden flows with the door in the open position. A method of retrofitting hopper railcars to include deflectors is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A hopper railcar comprising: a plurality of hoppers for carrying laden material, wherein each hopper has a lower discharge chute formed by converging side sheets and end sheets defining a hopper opening; and A pivoted door for each hopper opening for selectively opening and closing the hopper opening, the pivoted door having a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the railcar, and lateral deflectors on and coupled to lateral sides of each pivoted door with each of the lateral deflectors having a side face extending above an interior facing surface of a pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled, and wherein laden material flows upon the interior facing surface with the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled is in an open position, wherein each lateral deflector includes a mounting base parallel to the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled and wherein the side face of each lateral deflector extends from the mounting base and at a position above the mounting base is angled laterally away from the mounting base and from the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled, and wherein with each pivoted door in the closed position a side face of each of the deflectors coupled to the pivoted door is adjacent an outer surface of one of the converging side sheets and not extending through the hopper opening.

2. The hopper railcar according to claim 1, wherein the side face of each lateral deflector is angled, at a position above the mounting base, laterally away from the mounting base between 65 and 85 degrees.

3. The hopper railcar according to claim 2, wherein a top edge of each deflector is at a position closer to the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled near the pivot axis than at an apex of the top edge of each deflector.

4. The hopper railcar according to claim 3, wherein the top edge of each deflector is over four times the distance from the mounting base at the apex than at an end closest to the pivot axis.

5. The hopper railcar according to claim 1, wherein a top edge of each deflector is at a position closer to the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled near the pivot axis than at an apex of the top edge of each deflector.

6. The hopper railcar according to claim 5, wherein the top edge of each deflector is over four times the distance from the mounting base at the apex than at an end closest to the pivot axis.

7. The hopper railcar according to claim 6, wherein each deflector is formed of steel plate material.

8. A method of retrofitting a hopper railcar comprising the steps of: Providing a hopper railcar having a plurality of hoppers for carrying laden material, wherein each hopper has a lower discharge chute formed by converging side sheets and end sheets defining a hopper opening, and a pivoted door for each hopper opening for selectively opening and closing the hopper opening, the pivoted door having a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the railcar; and Coupling lateral deflectors on lateral sides of each of the pivoted doors with each of the deflectors having a side face extending above an interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflectors are coupled and upon which interior facing surface laden flows with the pivoted door to which the lateral deflectors are coupled in an open position, wherein each lateral deflector includes a mounting base parallel to the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled and wherein the side face of each lateral deflector extends from the mounting base and at a position above the mounting base is angled laterally away from the mounting base and from the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled, and wherein with each pivoted door in the closed position a side face of each of the deflectors coupled to the pivoted door is adjacent an outer surface of one of the converging side sheets and not extending through the hopper opening.

9. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 8, wherein the side face of each lateral deflector is angled, at a position above the mounting base, laterally away from the mounting base between 65 and 85 degrees.

10. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 9, wherein a top edge of each deflector is at a position closer to the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled near the pivot axis than at an apex of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled.

11. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 10, wherein the top edge of each lateral deflector is over four times the distance from the mounting base at the apex than at an end closest to the pivot axis.

12. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 11, wherein each deflector is formed of steel plate material.

13. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 8, wherein a top edge of each deflector is at a position closer to the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled near the pivot axis than at an apex of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled.

14. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 13, wherein the top edge of each lateral deflector is over four times the distance from the mounting base at the apex than at an end closest to the pivot axis.

15. The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar according to claim 14, wherein each deflector is formed of steel plate material

16. Lateral deflectors for a pivoted transverse door of a hopper railcar configured for attachment on lateral sides of the pivoted transverse door with each of the lateral deflectors having a mounting base configured to be mounted parallel to the pivoted transverse door and a side face configured to extend above an interior facing surface of the pivoted transverse door upon which laden flows with the pivoted transverse door in an open position, wherein each lateral deflector includes a mounting base parallel to the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled and wherein the side face of each lateral deflector extends from the mounting base and at a position above the mounting base is angled laterally away from the mounting base and from the interior facing surface of the pivoted door to which the lateral deflector is coupled between 65 and 85 degrees, and wherein with each pivoted door in the closed position a side face of each of the deflectors coupled to the pivoted door is configured to be adjacent an outer surface of one of a pair converging side sheets and not extending through a hopper opening.

17. The lateral deflectors according to claim 16, wherein a top edge of each lateral deflector is at a position closer to the mounting base at one end than at an apex of the top edge.

18. The lateral deflectors according to claim 17, wherein the top edge of each deflector is over four times the distance from the mounting at the apex than at an end closest to the pivot axis.

19. The lateral deflectors according to claim 18, wherein each deflector is formed of steel plate material.

20. The lateral deflectors according to claim 16, wherein the side face of each lateral deflector is angled, at a position above the mounting base, laterally away from the mounting base about 75 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hopper railcar with door deflector for transverse pivoted outlet gate according to the one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the of the hopper railcar according to FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a bottom partial section view through an outlet gate of the hopper railcar according to FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective top view of the deflector for an outlet gate of a hopper railcar according to the one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the deflector for an outlet gate of a hopper railcar according to FIG. 4.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the deflector for an outlet gate of a hopper railcar according to FIG. 4.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a flat pattern for forming the deflector for an outlet gate of a hopper railcar according to FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] The present invention provides a hopper railcar 10 typically divided into a plurality of hoppers 12 for carrying material laden material. Each hopper 12 has a lower discharge chute formed by converging side sheets 14 and end sheets 16 defining a transverse opening that is selectively opened and closed by a pivoted door 20.

[0032] Each railcar 10 includes a number of conventional features that need not be described herein in detail as they are well known in the art, including an under frame structure with a center sill 22 running the length of the railcar 10 and wherein the underframe is supported a pair of spaced trucks. Bolsters 23 are configured to be above truck assemblies and coupled to the center sill. The railcar 10 includes couplers for connecting adjacent cars 10, top chord 24, side stakes 26, upper side sheets 28 extending to the top chord 24 and a side sill 27. The upper side sheets 28 may be, for example, aluminum sheets or plates as may be the lower side sheets and end sheets. The upper sheets 28 are attached to respective side stakes 26 and top chord 24 in a conventional fashion.

[0033] The interior of the railcar 10 may further include bracing structures, such as “k bracing” format, including cross members extending between the sides and diagonal members extending to the center of the railcar 10. Bracing is also believed to be generally known to those in the art and may, or may not be present.

[0034] The present invention is directed to pivoted transverse doors 20 of hopper railcars 10. The door operating mechanism and closing and latching mechanism is not described herein and a number of systems may be used, including pneumatic and mechanical systems operating a single door or several doors 20 in tandem. Transverse doors 20 extend across the railcar 10, as opposed to longitudinal doors, and thus have a pivot axis perpendicular to the center sill 22. The present invention is directed to addressing a need for transverse pivoted outlet gates of hopper cars to direct substantially all of the laden material directly into the desired unloading location or pit. The present invention provides lateral deflectors 100 on the lateral sides of the doors 20 with the deflectors 100 having a side face 102 extending above an interior facing surface of the doors 20 upon which laden flows.

[0035] The deflectors 100 of the present invention may be formed form plate material such as a 24″×20″ piece of 0.25″ steel (ASTM A-572 GR 50). Other sizes and grades are possible. After cut into the flat pattern shown in FIG. 7, the deflector 100 can be bent into the configuration shown using hydraulic press brakes or other known bending methods.

[0036] The deflectors 100 may be referenced as lateral deflectors 100 for a pivoted transverse door 20 of a hopper railcar 10 as they are configured for attachment on lateral sides of the doors 20. Each of deflector 100 has a mounting base 104 configured to be mounted parallel to the door 20 with the side face 102 configured to extend above an interior facing surface of the doors 20 upon which laden flows with the door in the open position.

[0037] The base 104 may be 3″ wide with a radius end. The base 104 may be welded to the door 20 or mechanical fasteners may be used, or a combination of welding and mechanical fasteners.

[0038] At a position about 2½″ above the base 104 the side face 102 of each deflector 100 is angled laterally away from the mounting base 104. The side face 102 of each deflector 100 is angled laterally away from the mounting base 104 between 65 and 85 degrees, namely about 75 degrees. This angle accommodates the converging side sheets 14 of the hopper 12 whereby with each door 20 in the closed position on the hopper 12 the side face 102 of each deflector 100 is configured to be adjacent side sheets 14.

[0039] Each lateral deflector is increasing in relative height along the door 20, wherein a top edge 106 of each deflector 100 moves or extends from a position closer to the mounting base 104 at one end (3.559″) than at an apex 108 (16.452″). Thus the top edge 106 of each deflector 100 is at least three times and generally more than four times the distance from the mounting base 104 at the apex 108 than at one end. The distal edge of the deflector 100 that is farthest from the pivot extends at an angle of about 108 degrees from the apex 108 to the mounting base 104.

[0040] The hopper railcar 10 of the present invention provides through the deflectors 100 that the transverse pivoted outlet gates 20 direct substantially all of the laden material directly into the desired unloading location or pit. This avoids the need for workers on both sides of the car to address excess laden on the walkway.

[0041] Further the Lateral deflectors 100 for a pivoted transverse door 20 of a hopper railcar 10 according to the present invention are easily retrofitted onto existing transverse door hopper railcars. Mainly the angle of the face 102 should accommodate the angle of the side sheets of the railcar. The face 102 may be adjusted (i.e. notched out as needed) to accommodate other components on existing cars, but the profile as shown suggests wide applicability to existing door designs with no further modification.

[0042] The method of retrofitting a hopper railcar comprises the steps of: Providing a hopper railcar having a plurality of hoppers for carrying material laden material, wherein each hopper has a lower discharge chute formed by converging side sheets and end sheets defining a transverse opening, and a pivoted transverse door for each transverse opening for selectively opening and closing and closed by a pivoted door, the pivoted door having a pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the railcar; and Coupling lateral deflectors 100 on lateral sides of the doors with each of the deflectors having a side face 102 extending above an interior facing surface of the doors upon which laden flows with the door in the open position. The coupling may be welding or fasteners (bolts) of the mounting base 104 to the associated door.

[0043] Although the present invention has been described with particularity herein, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The scope of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.